What is 3G?
3G means for 3rd Generation. A 3G network is designed to carry data and permits customers to connect to the internet via their phones and Mobile Broadband connection on their laptops. You can make calls and send text messages using 3G.
How we plan to make our network better
Improving capacity
In 2007 we closed a deal with T-Mobile to share a combined 3G network. This was a UK first and allows us to dramatically increase our number of sites – and this results in providing you with a better network.
At the end of 2010 we had increased our 3G geographic cover by 20% of the entire area of the UK and we have just finished consolidating our network together with T-Mobile.
Improving customer service
When we launched Mobile Broadband in 2007 even we did not predict how its popularity would grow. 12 months later there were over one million Mobile Broadband customers.
By supplying a popular Mobile Broadband service such as this we then had to upgrade our network to permit us to continuously provide a tremendous service to all our clients. This includes growing the network’s capacity by means of boosting the links between our sites and the basic core network. Improving the links perm,its an extremely fast data transfer between sites and the core network which ensures our Mobile Broadband speeds supplies the demand for quicker 3G mobile services.
Improving speed
Apart from having more sites, we plan to upgrade our network by replacing outdated equipment. This improvement means that between January 2009 and March 2010 we have more than doubled the average Mobile Broadband download speeds*. Our clients are now able to enjoy speeds of nearly 5.6Mbps (megabits per second).
*A drive survey experience conducted by P3 – an independent testing company. 3G is the No.1 network for iPhone – voted as best for internet speed, connectivity and reliability*
*Figures provided from the independent YouGov iPhone iTrack report wave 2 (Sept 10).
The size of our network
Mobile phone providers are accustomed to using certain standards for evaluating network size and this makes it hard to establish precisely what you receive from each provider. At Three we discuss network size in percentage terms of the UK population that we can cover. Our online Coverage Checker allows you to discover if you have network coverage in areas where you wish to use your phone or Mobile Broadband.
Our network cover
At present we cover more than 97% of the UK population as far as calls, texts and internet on your phone/Mobile Broadband. Is concerned. More than 12,500 sites have increased coverage, as well as better speed and dependability for our Mobile Broadband customers.
What is a 3g network?
The International Telecommunications Union standards defines the 3G network is the third generation of mobile networking and telecommunications. A wider range of services and advanced network capacity is provided over the former 2G network. The 3G network also provides an increased rate of information transfer known as spectral efficiency. Telephony covers a wider area and range and video and broadband wireless data transfers have likewise seen a positive effect. Criteria identified as per the IMT-2000 standard.
Download speeds of 14.4 megabits per second and upload speeds of 5.8 megabits per second are catered for with 3G. A stationary user is 2 megabits per second. Someone in a moving vehicle can expect to receive 348 kilobits per second.
This is termed as a layered system. Every transmission consists of three information layers . The top layer sees a general service. The middle section provides control of data transmission. Lastly the bottom layer is the basic connectivity information.
The technology of WiFi or IEEE 802.11 is completely different from this network. WiFi is considered a short range network providing high-bandwidth that specializes in data transfer. 3G networks provide technology and Internet access for mobile phones.
Some of the first countries to roll out this network successfully in South Korea and Japan. FOMA , a Japanese company, launched its network in May 2001 and they were followed by South Korea’s SK Telecom in January 2002. In the United Kingdom British Telecomand Monet Mobile Networks in the States were next in line. By t2007most countries had already engaged with the technology.
The market initiation process of 3G was delayed and this had an impact on the increase of mobile technology throughout many countries. A different radio frequency other than that of 2G is used and this has meant that many companies have had to produce a new infrastructure involving extra licenses. China and Indonesia took the decision to wait on purpose before providing the network to its clients for several years.
Security concerns concerning 3G networks seem now to have been primarily mitigated. The system uses the KASUMI block crypto encryption in the place of the older A5/1 stream cipher employed on 2G network. In general the system is secure although at times there are signs of weakness that have been noticed.
Variation in licensing agreements between one country and another reflects in costings and the entire process. This has produced a reduced inclination to build 3G networks and this then of course results in a drop in overall clients.
